Nigeria Content Online

Following last weekend’s clash between
supporters of Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party at Irele, the
headquarters of Irele Local Government, the Ondo State Police Command
have invited leaders of the two rival parties for interrogation.

Several people were injured in the
fracas while many vehicles were seriously damaged, including that of
the interim chairman of the council, Shedrack Ikujuni.

The spokesperson of the state police
Command, Adeniran Aremu, said the police would release the invitees
after questioning while those culpable would be prosecuted.

The violence occurred between the
supporters of the former Chairman of the local government, Albert
Akintoye and that of the incumbent, Mr. Ikujuni over who has the
permission to hold political rally on the said day.

Mr Akintoye, while giving his account
of the crisis, said he was leading some PDP members from Ore to
Akotogbo, his home town, for a rally when some LP members confronted
them and ordered them to make detour, an the instruction which he
refused “Some LP members led by Ikujuni insisted that the PDP members
could not hold their rally since they did not get permission from the
appropriate quarters,” he said. “We have to divert our movement to
other route.”

Dragged into conflict

The Publicity Secretary of the Labour
Party, Seyi James, however said the PDP members were the aggressors who
dragged the LP members into conflict.

He said the campaign committee of one
Dele Adetunji of LP had got police permission to flag off their
campaign in Irele for Okitipupa/Irele House of Representative seat. Mr
James said some LP, supporters including Mr. Ikujuni, were severely
injured when the PDP supporters inflicted injuries on them.

“Mr. Akintoye, who never got police permit for his own rally,
insisted that he must also flag off his campaign for the same seat same
day and it was in the process that the supporters of the former
chairman damaged the cars in the convoy of the LP supporters,” he said.